Lavatory lock



n March 30, 1943. G. R, ADAMS LAvAToRY Loox Filed Jan. 22, 1941 Patented Mar. 30, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LAVATORY LOCK George R. Adams, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application January 22, 1941, Serial No. 4375,397

(Cl. 'l0-432) Claims.

My invention relates generally to locks and more particularly to a lock intended for'use on lavatories, wash rooms and the like.

The principal objects of my invention are, to generally improve upon and simplify the existing forms of lavatory locks and further, to provide a lock of the character referred to that is simple in construction, capable of being readily installed, and which is provided on its outer face or the face that is arranged on the outer face of the door to which the lock is applied, with an indicator operable from the inside of the door to show whether or not the lavatory or compartment that is provided with the equipped door, is occupied.

Further objects of my invention are, to provide a lock having a manually operable bolt, for normally securing the door to which the lock is applied in closed position, to provide key-actuated means operable from the outside of the door for securing the bolt against withdrawal from its strike or keeper in the jamb of the door and further, to provide a lock with means operable from the inside of the door for actuating the bolt securing means so as to shift the same into and out of bolt securing position, thus enabling the door with which the lock is associated to be locked and unlocked from the inside.

A further object of my invention is, lto provide simple means whereby the indicator located on the outer face of the lock is actuated bythe bolt securing means that is operated from the inside of the door.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, my invention consists incertain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts that will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is an elevational viewof a portion of the outer face of a door equipped with my improved lock.

Fig. 2 is an elevational view of a portion of the inner face of the door and showing the inner face plate of the lock.

Fig. 3 is an elevational View of the lock housing with the cover plate removed.

Fig. 4 is an elevational view of the inner face of the cover plate.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged horizontal section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged horizontal section taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged vertical section taken on the line 'I-'I of Fig. 1.

ythe line 9 7-9 of Fig. 3.

Referring by numerals to the accompanying drawing which illustrates a preferred embodi- `ment of my invention, Ill designates the door to which the lock is applied and for the 'accommodation of said lock the door is provided adjacent its free edge with a rectangularfnotch or opening II. The lock housing comprises a rectangular plate I2 slightly longer than the opening H in thedoor and formed integral with said plate are vertically disposed side walls I3 and I4, also horizontally disposed top and bottom walls I5. Side wall I3 which is disposed against the inner edge of the notch in the door is slightly shorter than plate I2 and wall Ill that is disposedv on 'the edge of the door has the same length as plate I2.

The chamber within the walls I3, I and I5 contains the main operating parts Vof the lock and said chamber is closed by a cover plate I6 that is detachably secured to plate I2 by screws or like fastening devices that pass through apertures I 'I in the cover plate and which enter threaded apertures I8 formed in lugs I9 and the latter being formed integral with *platev I2.

When the lock housing and its cover plate are properly installed in the notch or opening I I in the door, the external face of the plate I2 is covered by an inside face plate 20 which is slightly longer and wider than the plate I2 and said face plate 20 is detachably secured to the lock housing by means 'of screws 2| that pass through apertures formed in said inner face plate and which screws engage in threaded apertures 22 that are formed in lugs 23 on plate I2 above and below the end Walls I5.

This inside face plate 2li is secured to the inner face of the door I0 by means `of screws 24 thatJ pass through apertures adjacent the corners of said inner face plate and which screws are embedded in the door I0 above and below the notch or opening II.

An outer face plate. 20a having substantially the same dimensions as, plate I2 is secured to the external face of said plate I2 on the inner face of the door by means of screws 20h and formed in the upper portion of this outer face plate is a circular opening 20c. Formed in the lower portion of the outer face plate is a circular opening 20d.

The bolt of the lock comprises a head 25 having a beveled face 26 which when the door is closed engages a strike 21 seated in the door jamb and when the door is fully closed, the projecting portion of the bolt passes through an opening 28 in said strike. This head of the bolt is arranged for sliding movement through a notch or opening 29 that is formed in the lower portion of wall I4 and formed integral with the bolt head 25 and extending into the lock housing is a shank 3U.

Mounted for rotation on the side of the shank 30 adjacent the plate I2 and near the end of said shank is a roller 3I which, as the bolt moves from one position to another, travels between` a pair of horizontally disposed parallel guide ribs 32 that are formed on the inner face of housing plate I2. Mounted for rotation on the side of the shank 30 of the bolt opposite the side that carries the roller 3I is a roller 33.

Journalled in horizontally aligned openings 34 that are formed in plate I2 and cover plate I6 just below the intermediate portion of the shank 36 ofthe bolt, are the end por-tions of -a cylindrical head 35, through which is formed an axially disposed non-circular aperture 36; Formed integral with this head 35 Yand projecting upwardly therefrom is a finger 31 which bears against roller 33 and formed integral withthe lowerportion of one side of head 35 is an outwardly and downwardly projecting foot 38 that normally rests on the upper face of the bottom Y wall I5, so as to provide a stop to limit the rotary movement of the head 35 and finger 31.

Mounted on the adjacent one of .the lugs I9, is

theV coiled portion of a spring 39, one end of which bears on top of foot 38 so as to normally Vmaintain the lower end thereof in contact with the lower one of the walls I5. The lug I9 just mentioned carries the coiled portion 46 of a spring; one end of which rests on the bottom wall I5 and the other end bearing against the rear side of the head 25 of the bolt. One end of a similar spring 4I .that is mounted on a lug 42 similar to lug I9 and disposed above the bolt, bears against the rear side of bolt head 25, thus yieldingly resistingvthe inward or retractile movement of the bolt. Y

Passing through the non-circular opening 36 in head35 is a non-circul-ar Ishank 43 that extends outwardly through the vopening 29d in the outer face plate 26a and rigidly fixed'to the projecting portion of this shank, is one end of a horizontally disposed handle 44.

The opposite end portion of the shank 43 projects through an opening 45 that is formed in the lower portion of the inner Yface plate and detachably mounted on the projecting end of said shank and retained thereon by means of a screw 46 is one end of a horizontally disposed handle The construction just described provides means for imparting rocking motion to the finger carrying head 35 from both sides of the door and when the finger 31 is swung against roller 33, the head ofthe bolt will be withdrawn from the strike 21 so as to permit the door to be opened.

The inner end of the cylinder 48y of a conventional .key operated lock is rigidly secured to the upper portion of plate I2 which cylinder projects outwardly through an opening 49 that is formed in plate I2A and screw seated in said cylinder 48, is a sleeve 50a in which is mounted for rotation the key operated lock core 50 containing the tumblers. Secured .tothe inner end of this core 50 is a cross bar 5 I. Secured on that portion of the lock cylinder 48 that projects outwardly from face plate 20a is a ring 52 provided with a beveled outer face that bears the letters forming the words open and occupied.

The inner portion of this ring 52 occupies the circular opening 26C in face plate 20a and overlying the beveled face of said ring is a ring 54 of thin material, the outer edge thereof being positioned between .the edge of ring 52 and the opening 26C and the inner edge of said ring 54 bearing on the cylinder 48 (see Fig. '7)

An arcuate portion 55 at the top of the ring 54 vis transparent in order that the words appearing on the beveled face of ring 52 may be readily .noted as said ring is shifted from one position to another during operation of the lock.

a stud 51 that projects into the lock housing from plate I2. This plate occupies a position between the shank 30 of the bolt and the plate I2 andrbetweenV the openings 34 and 49 in said plate I2.

Formed integral with the end of plate 56, opposite its pivoted end is a `lug 58 which, when the plate is swung downward to its limit of movement, occupies a position between the end of the shank of the bolt 25 and the adjacent side wall I3 of the housing. A thin'nger 59 is secured at its lower end to a stud 60 that projects from plate I2 just above the opening 34 and the upper portion of this finger overlies the lower portion of the plate 56 to retain the same in proper operative position against the inner face of plate I2. f

Formed in the upper portion of plate 56 immediately below the key operated lock is a substantially semi-circular notch 6I, the radius of which is somewhat less than that of an arcuate slot 62- that is formed in plate I2 immediately below and communicating with the lower half of the opening 49 in plate I2. Notch 6I and slot 62 are somewhat less than 180 in length and define the degree of rotation of the lock core 56 and parts carried thereby.

Seated in the lower portion of ring 52 is one end of a horizontally disposed pin 63 which projects through slot 62 and through the notch 6I in plate 56. This pin is adapted to be engaged and moved through an arc dened by the length of notch 6I and slot 62 by the cross bar 5I on the core 50 of the lock and as said pin alternately engages the edges of plate 56 adjacent the ends of the notch 6I therein, said plate will be swung on its axis, the stud 51. Owing to the fact that lock core 59 is provided with an axial chamber for the tumblers, cross bar 5I is secured to the inner end of the annular wall of said core, or eccentric to the axis of said core and thus, to be effective in actuating pin 63, said cross bar has a long arm and a short arm.

Journalled for rotation in an opening in the upper portion of cover plate I6, which opening is directly opposite the opening 49 in plate I2, is a short cylindrical member 64 having an axially disposed non-circular opening 65 and secured to the inner end of this cylindrical member is a disc 66 from the edge of which projects a pair of spaced ngers 61, thus forming a slot 68 which receives the pin 63 (see Fig. 4).

vFormed in the edge of disc 66 on the opposite side from the fingers 61 are notches 69 and formed in the disc between the Aadjacent 'ends of these notches is a slot V1|J.

A non-circular 'shank 1| passes through the non-circular opening A65 in member 64 and the inner end of Said shank is seated in a non-circular opening in the center of disc 65. The outer end of shank 1| that projects lthrough the cylindrical `member 64 and through an opening inthe inner face plate 20 receives the head 12'0n one end of a short radially -disposed arm 13 and which latter is utilized for rocking the Vshank 1| to impart partial rotary movement to disc 66.

The inner end portion of yhead 12 is externally threaded as designated by 14 and this threaded portion vengages in -a threaded opening lin the inside face plate 20, thus maintaining the arm 13 in operative position upon said Aface plate.

Positioned in the slot and pivotally connected to disc 66 midway between the notches 69 is one end of a link 1.5 and the opposite end thereof is pivotally connected to a short arm 16, the latter being pivoted to a stud 11 ythat projects from the inner face of cover plate I6. Associated with this arm and its pivot is a spring 18 which yieldingly resists upward vswinging movement of the end of said arm that is pivoted to link (see Fig. 4).

When the door bearing my improved `lock is closed and unlocked, the various parts of the lock occupy the positions as illustrated-in Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive, with the head 2'5 ofthe bolt projecting through the opening 23 in the strike that is mounted on the door jamb. When so positioned, the ring 52 bearing the words Open and Occupied is positioned so that the word Open appears through the transparent portion of the covering member 54 with the short end of cross bar 5| positioned above the end ofV pin B3 that projects through notch 6| and slot 62.

To open the door, handle 44 is manually engaged and swung downward `a short distance, thereby partially rotating shank 43 andi member 35 carried thereby against the yielding resistance of spring 39 and the finger 31 projecting upwardly vfrom member 35 bears against roller 33 carried by the shank of the bolt and moves said bolt within the lock housing, thereby withdrawing vthe head from the strike in the jamb.

This retractile movement imparted to the bolt is yieldingly resisted by the springs 40 and Vil vand during such movement kthe roller 3l travels between the ribs 32 so as to guide said bolt in its movement. When the end of the bolt head 25 leaves the strike, the door may be opened.

After entering the lavatory or compartment having the door equipped with my improved lock, the person so entering may lock the door by swinging arm 13 toward the right hand through an arc somewhat greater than 90 degrees as illustrated by dotted lines in Fig. 2.

As a result of this movement, the shank 1| is partially rotated, thereby imparting corresponding movement to the disc 6'6 and as the latter shifts its position, the pin 63 positioned in the slot 68 will be swung through the slot 62 and notch 6|, and during the latter portion of this movement of pin 63 it will strike against the edge of the notch 6| in plate 56 farthest from the pivot 51, thereby shifting the position of said plate so as to move the free end thereof downward and consequently positioning lug 58 behind the end of the shank of the bolt so that retractile movement of the bolt by manipulation of the outside handle 44 is prevented.

As disc 66 is partially rotated as just described,

link 15 will be moved upward, thereby swinging arm 16 upward against the Iresistance of spring 18 and as thepivot point-between link 15 and disc 56 passes center, the power restored in spring 18 will be exerted to quickly move or snap thedisc 66 toits limit of movement.

Inasmuch as pin 63 is positioned in slot 68 in the disc 66, said pin will be moved through the arcuate slot 62 immediately below the lock, and as said pin is secured to ring 52, the latter will bepartially rotated so as to bring the word Occupiedinto position immediately behind the transparent portion 55 of member 54. At the end of the operations just described the pin 63 will be positioned beneath the long arm of crossbar 5|.

Thus the `shifting of the arm 13 from one position to another -locks the bolt against retraotile movement and at the same time shifts the indicator ring so as to bring the word Occupied into view.

To unlock the door from the inside thereof, it is only necessary to shift arm 13 back to its normal position and following this movement the disc 66 will be partially rotated, thereby moving pin 63 through the slot 62, which pin engages the edge of the notch 6| adjacent the pivot point of plate 56 so as to swing said plate upward and thereby withdraw the lug 58 from its position against the inner end of the shank of the bolt. Under such conditions pin 63 is positioned bcneath the short arm of cross bar 5 With the parts so positioned, the inn-er handle 41 may be engaged and swung downward a short distance so as to impart retractile movement to the bolt.

To lock the door from the exterior so as to prevent the same from being opened, the proper key is inserted in the lock and the core 45i! is rotated approximately a half turn and the `crossb-ar 5| on the inner end of said member will engage pin 63 to move the same through the arcuate slot 62 and which movement will position the lug 58 on plate Y56 behind the end of the shank 3|! of the bolt, thus `preventing said bolt from being retracted.

In the Aevent that a person within the lavatory or compartment shouldfbe locked in as a result of actuation of the locking mechanism by the key as just described, the door may be unlocked from the inside by manipulation of the arm 13 which is `mounted on the outer end of shaft 1|y the latter carrying disc 66 4having the fingers 61 which engage pi-n 63.

The locking of the door from the exterior moves pin l|53 `through the arcuate slot so as to engage the edge of notch 6| and swing plate 56 on its pivot so `as to position lug 53 behind ythe inner end of the bolt. Obviously, the disc 66 and parts connected thereto are shifted as a result of this movement by the engagement of the pin 63 between th'e ngers 61 and by movement of the handle 13 which is on the inside of the door, disc 66 is reversely rotated so as to swing pin 63 to the opposite end of the notch 6|, thereby tilting plate 56 so as to raise lug 58 from behind the bolt and thereby permitting the bolt to be unlatched by manipulation of the handle 41 that is mounted on the inside of the door to which the lock is applied. The lock cylinder and core are mounted in ring 52 and wall 2|)aL so that when the cross bar 5| is horizontally disposed as illustrated in Fig. 3, the key hole is vertically disposed, thereby permitting the key to be freely inserted and removed and after door has been locked or unlocked from the exterior by means of the key,

the latter can only be withdrawn after it has been reversely rotated a suicient distance to bring the key hole into vertical position, which operation necessarily rotates the coreso'as to bring the cross bar into horizontal position, with -pin 63 positioned beneath the short arm of cross bar 5I when the door is unlocked, and beneath the long arm of said cross bar Whensaid door isY locked.

To unlock the door after' it has been locked from the exterior by means of key or from the inside by actuation of lever 'I3 as described, the key inserted in the keyhole is rotated clockwise so as to rotate core 50 and cause the long arm of cross bar 5| to engage and move pin 63 to the left hand ends of slot 62 and notch 6|, thereby actuating plate 56 to elevate lug 58 from behind the end of bolt 30 and by now reversely rotating key so as to bring the keyhole into vertical position, the key may be removed and at this time pin 63 is positioned beneath the shortl arm of cross bar 5i.

The actuation of lever 13 on the inside of the door does not in any way elfect the lock cylinder, core and cross arm and when said lever is swung from one position to the other, pin 63 moves through the arcuate slot 62 and notch '6|, so as to swing plate 58 on its axis and move lug 58 into or out of engagement with the inner end of bolt 3D. Y

An especially desirable feature of my improved lock is ther symmetrical appearance of the external plate a for the key operated lock is located centrally on the upper portion of said plate 28a and directly above the axis of the external handle 44. Such arrangement pres-ents a much more pleasing and attractive appearance than where the lock and the axis of the handle are offset with respect to each other on the external plate.

Thus it will be seen that I have provided a lavatory lock that is relatively simple in construction, inexpensive of manufacture and very effective in performing the functions for which it is intended.

It will be understood that minor changes in the size, form and construction of the various parts of my improved lavatory lock, may be made and substituted for those herein shown and described, without departing from the spirit of my 'invention, the scope of which is set forth in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

l. In a lock, a housing, a bolt arranged for sliding movement in said housing, a spindle passing through said housing, means mounted on said spindle externally of the housing for actuating said spindle, means carried by said spindle for impartingV retractile movement to said bolt, a member pivotally mounted within the housing and adapted to eng-agesaid bolt to hold the same against retractile movement, locking means oper.- able from the exterior of the door to which the lock is applied for shifting said pivoted member into bolt engaging position and separate means operable from the inside of the door to whichthe lock is applied for shifting said pivoted member out of bolt engaging position.

2. A lock as set forth in claim 1, with an indicator mounted for operation on the outside Wall of the lock housing and means within the lock housing and actuated by the bolt engaging actuating means for shifting said indicator to positions corresponding with the position of the pivoted bolt engaging member.

3. In a lock, a housing, a bolt arranged for sliding movement in said housing, a spindle passing through said housing, means mounted on said spindle externally of the housing for actuating said spindle, means carried by said spindle for imparting retractile movement to said bolt, a member pivotally mounted Within the housing and adapted to engage said bolt to hold the same against retractile movement, which pivotally mounted member is provided with an arcuate notch, an indicator ring mounted for rotation on the outer wall of the housing, a pin projecting from said indicator ring through the front wall of said housing and through the arcuate notch in said pivotally mounted member, key controlled locking means mounted for operation on the outer wall of the housing, said locking means including a rotary core, a cross bar secured to the inner end of said rotary core and lying in the path of travel of the pin that passes through the notch in the pivotally mounted member and means including an arm pivotally mounted on the outer wall of the housing for moving said pin through the arcuate notch of said pivoted member to swing the same upon its axis.

4. In a lock, a housing having inside and outside -wa1ls, a bolt arranged for operation within said housing, means mounted for operation on said housing and operable from the external faces of said inside and outside walls for imparting retractile movement to said bolt, a member mounted for operation within the housing and adapted to engage said bolt to hold the same against retractile movement, an indicator mounted for operation on the outer face of the outside wall of the housing, a pin seated in said indicator and projecting into the housing for actuating said bolt engaging member and means mounted for operation on the inside of the Wall of the housing for actuating said pin to shift said bolt engaging member into and out of bolt engaging position;

5. In a lock, a housing having inside and outside walls, a bolt arranged for operation within said housing, means mounted for operation on said housing and operable from the external faces of said inside and outside walls for imparting retractile movement to said bolt, a member mounted for operation Within the housing and adapted to engage said bolt to hold the same against retractile movement, an indicator mounted for operation on the outer face of the outside wall of the housing, a pin seated in said indicator and projecting into the housing for actuating said bolt engaging member, a key controlled lock mounted for operation on the outside wall of the housing and means actuated by said key controlled lock and arranged within the housing for engaging and shifting said pin to move the bolt engaging member into and out of bolt engaging position.

GEORGE R. ADAMS. 

